WT/COMTD/100  
23 November 2020  
(20-8453) Page: 1/6 
   
 
  
REPORT (20 20) OF THE COMMITTEE  ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  This report covers the work of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in 20 20. An 
overview is provided of the work of the CTD's Regular Session, the Dedicated Session on the 
Monitoring Mechanism on Special and Differential Treatment, the Dedicated Sessions on Regional  
Trade A greements  (RTAs) , Preferential Trade Arrangements  (PTAs)  and Small Eco nomies, 
the CTD's work on Aid  for Trade, and the wor k of the Sub -Committee on Least Developed 
Countries.1 
2  REGULAR SESSION  
2.1.  Ambassador Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan) was elected CTD Chairman  for 2020 . 
Ambassador Monique T.G. Van Daalen (Net herlands) was re-elected Chairperson of the 
Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries for 2020.  
2.2.  Three meetings of the Regular Session were held in 2020. Due to the COVID -19 outbreak, 
the 111th Session , which  was held on 26 May 2020 , was organized as a special virtual session. 
Members  exchange d views and experiences on the impact of the COVID -19 outbreak on th e trade 
of developing countries. Several Members highlighted the negative effects of the crisis on their 
economies. The minutes of t his meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/M/111. 
The 112th Sessio n, which  was held on 29 September 2020,  focused  on issues  relating to technical 
assistance (TA) . The minutes of this meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/M/112. 
The 113th Session w as held on 20 November 2020. The minutes of this meeting are contained in 
document WT/COMTD/M/113 .2 
2.3.  At the 113th Session, Members agreed to continue to invite a number of intergovernmental 
organizations on an ad hoc meeting -by-meeting basis.  A full list o f intergovernmental 
organizations with observer status in the Committee is contained in document 
WT/COMTD/W/22/Rev.8.  The CTD continues to have outstanding requests for observer status from 
the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Petroleum Expor ting Countries (OPEC), the 
Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the Organisation internationale de la 
Francophonie, the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the Organization of 
Arab Petroleum  Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the Groupe de la Banque Africaine de 
Développement.  
2.4.  The principal areas addressed by the CTD in Regular Session during the period covered in this 
report included the following:  
• Technical cooperation and training;  
• Market access for developing and least developed countries;  
• Trade and development - work in the Committee on the basis of the Chairman's 
concluding statement from the Eighth Ministerial Conference (MC8);  
• Work Programme on Electronic Commerce;   
• Duty-free and quota -free (DFQF)  market access for least developed countr ies (LDCs).  
 
1 The Special Session of the CTD, dealing with the issue of special and differential treatment, has its 
own reporting channel . 
2 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/100  
 
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  2.1  Technical Cooperation and Training  
2.5.  The Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC)  provided updates at the 111th and 
112th Sessions on the evolving situation with respect to TA. The delivery of face -to-face TA 
activities was disrupted in mid-March 2020 by the C OVID -19 outbreak. Meanwhile, WTO online 
training courses remained available in the e -Campus wi thout limitations.  At the 112th Session, the 
Committee took note of the 2019 Annual Performance Report on Technical Assistance and Training 
(WT/COMTD/W/256). According to the report, the implementation of the 28 recommendations 
formulated in the external evaluation of the WTO's TA was completed in 2019. A total of 
14,500  participan ts were trained, which was a 37% drop compared to 2018. This decline was due 
to the halving of participation in online courses after the introduction of the new cloud -based 
e-Learning platform. However, the participation of women in TA activities continued  to rise, 
reaching 48% in 2019. The Secretariat undertook 278 TA activities in 2019. In terms of 
performance, the overall proportion of targets met reached 58% - against 65% on average over 
the 2016 -2018 period. The proportion of targets not met was belo w the 2016 -2018 average. Also, 
at the 112th Session, the Committee took note of the TA Monitoring and Evaluation Plan 
(WT/COMTD/W/255), and was briefed by the ITTC on a new simplified procedure to request 
national TA activities online. At the 113th Session, the Committee was introduced to the new 
format for the Annual Performance Report on Technical Assistance and Training (JOB/DEV/63). 
The ITTC made a presentation on the electronic TA Dashboard.  
2.2  Market Access for Developing and Least Developed Countries  
2.6.  In 2020, notifications were made to the CTD concerning Montenegro 's DFQF scheme for LDCs 
(WT/COMTD/PTA2/N/1)  and Kazakhstan 's Generalized Sys tem of Preferences (GSP) scheme  
(WT/COMTD/PTA3/N/1).3 
2.7.  With regard to the Latin American  Integration Association (LAIA), the Committee considered 
at the 113th Session a communication from Uruguay on behalf of LAIA (WT/COMTD/W/253). Also 
on the agenda of the 113th Session was the recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo 
(WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1) and related documentation – including a communication concerning the 
agreements concluded by member countries of LAIA under the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo 
(WT/COMTD/W/ 254), and the 223 addenda to the recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo  (from 
WT/COMTD/RTA15/N /1/Add.1 to WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/Add.223) . 
2.8.   A reference to t he RTA notification  concerning the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs 
Union remained  on the agenda of the 113th Session . The communication from China, Egypt and 
India titled "Systemic and Specif ic Issues arising out of the Dual Notification of the GCC Customs 
Union" (WT/COMTD/W/17 5) also remained on the agenda.  
2.3  Trade and Development - Work in the Committee on the basis of the Chairman's 
Concluding Statement from the Eighth Ministerial Conference  
2.9.  At the Eighth Ministerial Conference (MC8), Ministers , inter alia , reaffirmed the positive link  
between trade and development and called for focused work in the CTD. Ministers called on 
Members to fully operationalize the mandate of the CTD as a focal poin t for development work. At 
the 113th Session, t he Committee continued its discussions on the outstanding proposals for work 
under the MC8 mandate. One proposal – by Barbados, Belize, China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the 
African Group (WT/COMTD/W/208) – is for the CTD to report on development -related activities 
and development issues raised in other WTO bodies. The other remaining proposal – by China, 
Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group , and contained in document WT/COMTD/W/192  – is 
for the CTD to make a recommendation for the parties to RTAs to submit their notification and 
information requirements jointly. The Chairman encouraged continued engagement among 
Members in order to make progress on these proposals.  
 
3 These notifications were  reflected on the agenda of the CTD’s 4th Dedicated Session on PTAs, which 
was held on 20 Nov ember 2020.  WT/COMTD/100  
 
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  2.4  Work Programme on E lectronic Commerce  
2.10.   At the 113th Session , Members ' attention was drawn once again to the Ministerial Decision of 
13 December 2017 on the Work Programme on E -Commerce (WT/MIN(17)/65 – WT/L/1032). The 
Chairman informed Members that, although there were no pro posals from Members to consider in 
the CTD, a number of delegations had indicated their interest in this area.  
2.5  Duty -Free and Quota -Free Market Access for LDCs  
2.11.   At the 113th Session, the Committee conducted its annual review of the steps taken to 
provide DFQ F market access to LDCs. It was once again not possible for the Secretariat to issue its 
report on Members' DFQF market access for LDCs, as mandated in the Bali Ministerial Decision 
(WT/MIN(13)/44 – WT/L/919), because of divergent views among some Members on the scope 
and coverage of the report.  
3  DEDICATED SESSION ON THE MONITORING MECHANISM ON SPECIAL AND 
DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT  
3.1.  Due to the COVID -19 outbreak and the resulting suspension  of all WTO meetings in the early 
part of 2020 , only one meeting of the CT D's Dedicated Sess ion on the Monitoring Mechanism  on 
Special and Differential Treatment could be held in  2020. This meeting – the 13th Dedicated 
Session – took place  on 20 November 2020, and was chaired by 
Ambassador  Mohammad  Qurban  Haqjo (Afghanistan).  The minutes of the meeting are contained in 
document WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/ 13.4 The Chairman noted that, according to the Decision 
establishing the Monitoring Mechanism  (WT/MIN(13)/45 - WT/L/920), the monitoring of special 
and differential provi sions is to be undertaken on the basis of written inputs or submissions made 
by Members, as well as on the basis of reports from other WTO bodies to which submissions by 
Members could also be made. He observed in this regard that there were still no writte n 
submissions in the Monitoring Mechanism . 
4  DEDICATED SESSION ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
4.1.  Two meetings of the CTD 's Dedicated Session on RTAs were held in 2020, both chaired by 
Ambassador  Mohammad Qurban Haqjo  (Afganistan ). The 11th Dedicated Session on RT As was held 
on 29 September 2020 . The general minutes  of this  meeting are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/ 11. At the meeting, t he Committee  took note of the Chairman's report on the 
status of the preparation of factual presentations of RTAs (WT/CO MTD/RTA/W/4 ). The Committee 
then considered four agreements, as per the provisions of the 14 December 2006 General Council 
Decision on a Transparenc y Mechanism for RTAs (RTA TM) .5 The four agreements considered 
were: the Preferential Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and the Southern African Customs 
Union (SACU) (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA11/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA11/1, WT/COMTD/RTA11/2)6; the 
Free Trade Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 
Republic of Korea (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA13/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA13/1, WT/COMTD/RTA13/2)7; 
the Preferential Trade Agreement between India and Afghanistan (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA14/N/1, W T/COMTD/RTA14/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/2)8; and the Accession of Egypt 
to COMESA (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA16/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA16/1, WT/COMTD/RTA16/2 /Rev.1 ).9 
4.2.   The 12th Dedicated Sessions on RTAs was held on 20 November 2020.  The general minutes 
of this meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/M/ 12.10 At the meeting, t he 
Committee took note of a notification concerning  the agreement between Indonesia and Pakistan 
(WT/COMTD/RTA12/N/1), and of the Chairman's report on the status of the preparation of factual 
 
4 To be issued.  
5 WT/L/671.  
6 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA11/M/1.  
7 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA13/M/1.  
8 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA14/M/1.  
9 The minutes relating to the considerat ion of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA16/M/1.  
10 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/100  
 
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  presentations of RTAs (WT/CO MTD/RTA/W/5 ). The Committee then considered two agreements, as 
per the provisions of the RTA TM . The two agreements considered were:  the 
Economic  Complementarity Agreement between Mexico and the Plurinational State of Bo livia 
(Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA8/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA8/1 )11; and the Comprehensive Economic 
Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the Republic of Korea (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA17/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA17/1, WT/COMTD/RTA17/2)12. 
5  DEDICATED SESSION ON PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  
5.1.   The CTD's 4th Dedicated Session on PTAs was held on 20 November 2020, and was chaired 
by Ambassador Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan) . The minutes of this meeting are 
contained in document WT/COMTD/PTA/M/4.13 The Committee took note of a notificatio n by 
Montenegro  concerning its DFQF scheme for LDCs  (WT/COMTD/PTA2/N/1) , and of a notification by 
Kazakhstan concerning its  Generalized Sys tem of Preferences (GSP) scheme 
(WT/COMTD/PTA3/N/1) . The Committee also took n ote of the Chairman's report on the status of 
the preparation of factual presentations  of PTAs  (WT/COMTD/PTA/W/2 ). 
6  DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES  
6.1.   The CTD's 40th Dedicated Session on Small Economies was held on 2 November 2020 , and 
was chaired by  Ambassador Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan). The minutes of this meeting 
are contained in document WT/COMTD/ SE/M/40 .14 At the meeting , Members heard presentations 
from the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development ( UNCTAD ) and the WTO on the opportunities and challenges for small economies in 
attracting investments. Presentations were also made by El Salvador, Guatemala and Saint Lucia – 
members of the Group  of Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs)  – on their national experiences in 
attracting investments. The presentations, and the subsequent discussion, pointed to the 
importance of investments for the growth and d evelopment of small economies. A discussion was  
also held on the impact of the COVID -19 outbreak on the trade of small economies. A number of 
members of the SVE Group highlighted the negative impact of the pandemic on their economies. 
Some ideas were shared on what could be done to allow small economies to be in a better position 
to deal with the nega tive effects of the crisis.  
7  AID FOR TRADE  
7.1.  The CTD held its 48th, 49th, and 50th sessions on Aid for Trade in 2020, on 11 February, 
7 July, and 5 October, respectively. At each session, Members reviewed the implementa tion of 
the 2020-2021 biennial Work P rogramme which was finalized at the 48th Session of the 
CTD Aid for Trade on 11 February 2020 .15 The meetings were chaired by 
Ambassador  Chad Blackman (Barbados) in February , and by 
Ambassador  Mohammad  Qurban  Haqjo (Afghanistan) in July and October. The minutes of the 
meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/AFT/M/48, WT/COMTD/AFT/M/49 and 
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/5016, respectively.  On 11 February 2020, the CTD also organized a dedicated 
thematic Aid -for-Trade workshop on  "Transforma tion and  promoting rural ec onomy ". A report of 
the workshop was then presented at the corresponding CTD Aid -for-Trade meeting on the same 
day. In addition, on 27 May 2020, an Aid -for-Trade webinar was organized on  "Supporting 
COVID -19 response and recovery ". 
7.2.  At the CTD Aid for Trade  48th Session , the Russian Federation and China reported on their 
recent work in the area of Aid for Trade. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and 
Development  (OECD)  reiterated its commitment to the Aid -for-Trade Initiative and its role in 
deliverin g the monitoring and evaluation exercise. Peru and Lao  People 's Democratic Republic  
updated the Committee on their recently completed Trade Policy Reviews (TPR s). The Enhanced 
 
11 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA8/M/1 (to be issued).  
12 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA17/M/1 (to be issued).  
13 To be issu ed. 
14 To be issued.  
15 WT/COMTD/AFT/ W/81 . 
16 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/100  
 
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  Integrated Framework (EIF) informed the Committee about its most recent efforts in assisting 
LDCs to improve their trading environment for conducive and sustainable growth. The Standards 
and Trade Development Facility (STDF) updated the Committee on its new strategy for 2020 -2024.  
The Secretariat provided an update on a worksh op organized by the Economic Community of 
West African States (ECOWAS) on 17 -18 December 2019, which aimed at buildin g the capacity of 
in-country Aid -for-Trade  Focal Points and EIF Coordinators to identify, formulate,  review and 
develop bankable Aid -for-Trade projects. The ITC noted  that it had delivered its largest ever 
portfolio of trade -related TA. The United Kingdom  recalled i ts financial support to the ITC and  its 
belief in the role of Aid for Trade in support of t he global trading system . 
7.3.  At the CTD A id for Trade 49th Session , the Chairperson began the meeting with an update on 
the consequences of the COVID -19 pandemic for the implementation of the Aid -for-Trade Work 
Programme for 2020 -21. He provided some thoughts on how to reflect the challenge of CO VID-19 
into the Work Programme , including by extending its implementation period and rescheduling the 
Global Review to 2022.17 He also suggested a possible addendum to the Work Programme to 
reflec t on the impact of the pandemic, and invited Members to cons ider activities they wished to 
see included in an addendum to the Work Programme and to COVID -19 related work. Multilateral 
and regional development banks provided updates on their activities and details on t he support 
they provided. A number of Members provided details on their engagement as part of the 
Aid-for-Trade Initiative. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 
highlighted progress in implementing its innovative Programme for Country Partnership model for 
accelerating inclusiv e and sustainable industrial development. UNCTAD  gave an overview of its 
recent publications on trade and commodities. The EIF, the STDF and ITC updated the Membership 
on recent activities. The representativ e of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , reiterated  the 
importance of Aid for Trade and expressed appreciation to donors . 
7.4.  At the CTD Aid for Trade 50th Session , discussions focused on the proposed addendum to the 
Aid-for-Trade Work Programme 2020 -2022. The purpose of the addendum was to collect, discuss 
and disseminate Members' Aid -for-Trade needs and responses to the challenges triggered by the 
pandemic. Its central focus is a stocktaking event that will be held in early 2021. The Chair man 
circulated a draft text , which was subsequently agreed.18 Bilateral donors and 
South -South  cooperation providers made statements highlighting their recent resource 
mobili zation activities. A number of M embers provided information on  their Aid -for-Trade support. 
The meeting enjoyed participation by several intern ational financial institutions. The EIF also 
informed Members of its recent survey initiative , and the SDTF highlighted its role in promoting 
and supporting the transition to paperless SPS systems.   
8  SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
8.1.  Due to the COV ID-19 outbreak and the resulting suspension of all WTO meetings earlier in 
the year, only two formal meetings of the Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries (hereafter 
the Sub -Committee) could be held in 2020 . These meetings , which were held on 30 June 
(88th Session) and 11 November (89th Session) , were chaired by 
Ambassador  Monique  T.G. Van Daalen (Netherlands). The minutes of the meetings are contained 
in documents WT/COMTD/LDC/M/88 and WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8919, respectively.  
8.2.  The Sub -Committee took up the following subjects pursuant to the WTO Work Programme for 
the LDCs (WT/COMTD/LDC/11/Rev.1): (i) market access for LDCs; (ii) trade -related technical 
assistance and capacity -building initiatives for LDCs; and (iii) accession of LDCs. The 
Sub-Committee f urther engaged in a dedicated exchange of views on trade -related impacts of 
the COVID -19 pandemic and support measures of relevance to LDCs, and considered a briefing by 
the Secretariat on the EIF WTO project on LDC graduation. The delegation of the Chad h as been 
the Coordinator of the LDC Group in 2020.  
 
17 A revision to the Work Programme was subsequently issued that extended the implementation period 
to 2020 -2022 and rescheduled the Global Review  (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/81/Rev.1) . 
18 WT/COMTD/AFT/W/81/Rev.1/ Add.1.  
19 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/100  
 
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  8.1  Trade -related impacts of the COVID -19 pandemic and support measures of 
relevance to LDCs  
8.3.  At the 88th Session , UNCTAD and the World Bank made presentations on the trade -related 
impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic, illustrating the severe consequences of the crisis for the LDCs. 
Members engaged in a substantive exchange of views, underlining the importance of facilitating 
trade in medical supplies and essential goods as well as expressing their support to h elp the LDCs 
recover from the pandemic. The LDCs stressed the need for global cooperation to help the LDCs 
rebound from the crisis, including through assistance to health care systems and economic 
recovery. The Secretariat had issued an information note ti tled "The COVID -19 pandemic and 
trade -related developments in LDCs" on 8 June 2020.  
8.2  Market Access for LDCs  
8.4.  At the 89th Session, the Sub -Committee considered the Secretariat's 2020 LDC market access 
Note (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/68), which included an analysis of th e developments in LDC trade during 
the first half of 2020 to gauge the short -term impact of the COVID -19 pandemic.  
8.3  Trade -related Technical Assistance and Capacity -building Initiatives for LDCs  
8.5.  At the 89th Session, the Executive Secretariat of the EIF provi ded an update on recent 
progress in the EIF, highlighting efforts to implement activities in support o f the LDCs amidst the 
pandemic. At the same session, the Secretariat of the STDF briefed the Sub -Committee on the 
Facility's recent activities relating to  LDCs, underlining that project implementation continued 
during the pandemic with LDCs and other low -income countries benefitting from 71% of project 
funds.  
8.4  Accession of LDCs  
8.6.  At the 89th Session, the Secretariat provided a report on the status of eight ongoing LDC 
accessions (Bhutan, Comoros, Ethiopia, Sao Tomé and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and 
Timor Leste) as well as recent TA and experience -sharing activities for acceding LD Cs. 
8.5  LDC Graduation  
8.7.  At the 88th Session, the Secretariat briefed Members on progress made in the implementation 
of the EIF -WTO project on LDC graduation, including on the findings of the report "Trade impacts 
of LDC graduation", which had been published on 8 May 2020. Members noted the work being 
undertaken to enhance the understanding of the trade -related implications of graduation. The 
LDCs called on Members to be responsive to the needs of graduating LDCs including to allow for a 
smooth transition from LD C status.  
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